The next big cash crop

Each bamboo variety has its use, just as each person has his role in the world,” says Carolina “Kay” Gozon-Jimenez, director of Carolina Bamboo Garden. While shoots of machiku (Dendrocalamus latilforus Munro) are edible, the indigenous kawayang tinik’s extensive root system is ideal for promoting erosion control and stabilizing riverbanks. When planted near creeks and streams, the bamboo’s root system filters impurities from the water; and in sloping or highland areas, it is most useful in conserving degraded land and topsoil. Bamboo can be ornamental, is used in the manufacture of chopsticks, furniture and rural homes, and is the main building material used in local fish pens. It makes an attractive living fence, and as a project in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, has shown, bamboo charcoal can be a cheap and renewable alternative fuel source. Most importantly, the living plant is an effective carbon sink. The fastest-growing grass in the world absorbs more carbon dioxide than most other plant varieties.

Because it requires little maintenance and care, bamboo is also a good cash crop with incredible economic potential. Two-year-old poles with a length of 10 to 12 feet can be sold for as much as P1,500 per piece, while propagation of high-priced exotic and ornamental varieties could contribute significantly to a family’s income. A three- to four-foot bamboo pole that grows in three months can already be sold. In its lifespan of 35 to 50 years, a bamboo plant can produce 15 kilometers of usable pole. Since the plant can be grown everywhere, even households with small yard spaces can be encouraged to plant it. “It could be the savior of the Philippine environment,” says Kay Jimenez. “It has the potential to preserve the forests and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. Bamboo provides food, security and livelihood.”

Traditionally propagated through cuttings with one or two nodes, planting season is usually during rainy season when constant water supply is certain. However, successful propagation of the plant during dry summers can also be achieved by ensuring that the tube of the cutting is constantly filled with water. However, an easier way to start a bamboo grove, garden or plantation is through seedlings. Since the planting materials are already alive and established, the chances that the plant will thrive are expectedly bigger. In the Philippines, Carolina Bamboo Garden can provide one-and-a-half to two-year- old bamboo seedlings. The company produces 10,000 indigenous and exotic bamboo seedlings per year, and planters can choose from around 27 varieties depending on their specific needs. By collaborating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Carolina Bamboo Garden helps promote the best environmental practices.

“I’ve always loved the sound of bamboo,” smiles Jimenez when she is asked why she chose to concentrate on propagating the plant.  The five-hectare garden named after her in Sitio Tanza, Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City, was a gift from her mother and is devoted to bamboo seedlings. It was during her childhood family trips to Baguio City that Jimenez first began to develop a fascination for the soothing rustling sound of the plant as the wind blew through its “silk-like leaves.” She explains that she’s partial to bamboo because it exhibits certain traits that are just as important for people to have.

“The bamboo is humble yet strong,” she explains. It embodies resilience because the poles may sway or bend as strong gusts of wind whip it during typhoons, and quickly recover and stand again when the storm has abated. “Bamboo is simple, but has the capacity to give a lot.”

As part of the family that is involved in running one of the most influential media companies in the Philippines, Jimenez chooses to live simply away from the media limelight. She avers, “I am happier doing what I do.” An economist by profession, she worked for the Central Bank’s Department of Economic Research as technical assistant for 11 years before opting to accept an early-retirement offer to be able to devote more time to her four children. With friends Eve Andrews and Natividad Imperial, she also operated DALUZ Enterprises from 1978 to 1990, a company that supplied bags to high-end buyers like Halston, Christian Dior and Macy’s. When buyers visited the factories, Jimenez recalls counseling her workers, “Do not be intimidated by them because they are your equals. We want to sell and they are here to buy our product. It is that simple.”

Like the bamboo that has endless applications and advantages, the workers who lived simple and ordinary lives came up with beautiful goods. Thus, they were encouraged to take pride in their innate creativity and excellent handiwork. However, after prospering for more than a decade, operations in DALUZ ceased because the partners migrated to other countries and rearing her children took more of Jimenez’s time.

“Family is important and I believe in spending time with my loved ones,” says the woman who continues to cultivate a loving relationships with her children, in-laws and 11 grandchildren. She recently organized an outing to her bamboo-garden venture for young members of her closely knit extended family. As an activity meant to foster family togetherness, it was also a means of imparting important lessons. ”I tell my children that they have to be independent — to ‘paddle their own canoe’ — but sharing with others, not just self-preservation, is just as important.”  The youngest members of the family were taught the importance of looking beyond their personal comfort, and the tree-planting activity in Carolina Bamboo Garden served to plant in them the seeds of environmental consciousness and concern for the natural world. In addition to her campaign for the environment, Jimenez supports Conquest for Christ, a foundation to support pastors in rural areas, while each of her children support their own ministries.

“It is a joy for me to have a garden,” says this deeply spiritual woman, who applies the teachings of the Bible in all aspects of her business and professional life.  “The Lord makes everything possible. When you plant a garden, put in a good seed and it will grow to be a special plant or a flourishing tree.”  

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To schedule a visit to Carolina Bamboo Garden, please make an appointment with MAJENT Foundation, Inc., located on the 2nd floor of the Sagittarius Building, HV Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers are 816-3868, 816-3873 or 816-3875.Or log on to www.carolinabamboogarden.com.